Share This Story!

Diplomatic efforts delay Syria vote in Senate

WASHINGTON—Lawmakers responded with a mix of skepticism and optimism Tuesday that diplomatic efforts to dismantle Syria's chemical weapons program could head off the push for congressional approval of U.S.

WASHINGTON — Diplomatic efforts to dismantle Syria's chemical weapons program have headed off — for now — the push for congressional approval of U.S. military airstrikes, sparing President Obama a potentially embarrassing rebuke of his foreign policy agenda.

Obama said in a Tuesday night address to the nation that he had asked Congress to delay action to see if a diplomatic effort led by Russia to secure Syrian weapons could succeed.

After Obama's address to the nation Tuesday, Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Robert Menendez, D-N.J., said the threat of military force "is necessary to keep on the table" and said senators were working to amend the resolution to reflect recent diplomatic efforts. "The diplomatic door has opened ever so slightly and while I have doubts about this 11th hour offer, it would be wrong to slam the door shut without due consideration."

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., acknowledging that the urgency to act had dissipated, said Tuesday afternoon, "There is a large view that we should let that process play out for a little while."

In a meeting with Senate Republicans earlier Tuesday, Obama asked the GOP to give him time to work the diplomatic process. "What he wants us to do basically is give him room," said Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., underscoring the skeptical view on Capitol Hill of Russia's efforts. "I think the general response is: 'Can you trust someone who used to be the head of the KGB?'" Heller said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was the country's head of Federal Security in 1998-99.

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., said Obama encouraged the Senate to keep working on the resolution to authorize strikes against Syria because he maintained that it forced the international community to increase pressure on the Assad regime. "He believes that the efforts that are now forming in the international community is a direct result of the credible threat of use of force," Cardin said.

Obama had asked Congress to approve the use of military force in Syria in response to the Syrian government's alleged use of chemical weapons, and the Senate was expected to vote on that resolution this week. With the vote suspended, it is not clear when — or if — the Senate will vote on using military force.

Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., said after the speech that Congress should continue efforts to approve the resolution in tandem with diplomacy to keep pressure on the Assad regime. "I believe Congress can best support the goal of a diplomatic solution by approving a resolution that authorizes the use of force if Syria refuses to give up its chemical weapons," he said.

"Well, clearly diplomacy is always a better outcome than military action," House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, told reporters Tuesday. "But I will say that I'm somewhat skeptical of those that are involved in the diplomatic discussion today."

A bipartisan group of senators including Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Chris Coons, D-Del., are crafting an amendment to the joint resolution that would authorize the use of military force only if the international diplomatic effort fails.

The amendment would include specific, tight deadlines for the United Nations Security Council to approve a resolution and for inspectors to verify that Syrians surrendered all chemical weapons. The president would be authorized to use force only if those conditions were not met.

While senators across the aisle cheered signs of diplomatic breakthroughs, opposition in the Senate outpaced support for the resolution in its current form. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., announced his opposition on the Senate floor, saying "a vital national security risk is clearly not at play."

Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., who voted "present" in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also announced his opposition Tuesday. Markey won Secretary of State John Kerry's former Senate seat in a special election earlier this year. On Monday, six senators, five Republicans and one Democrat, announced their opposition.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., indicated the Senate will continue to debate the use-of-force resolution to keep pressure on Syria to hand over its chemical weapons. "We have to make sure the credible threat of military action remains. The only reason Russia is seeking an alternative for military action is that the president of the United States will act if they do not," he said.

But after Obama's speech, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said on Fox News that opposition in Congress could be insurmountable if the resolution comes up for a vote. Paul previously estimated the Senate could pass the resolution, but that it would fail in the GOP-led House. "I think even the Senate is in question now," Paul said, following a wave of nearly a dozen new votes against the resolution in recent days. "I don't think (Obama) can overcome that," he said.

Rep. Scott Rigell, R-Va., who led a House effort to force Obama to seek a congressional vote, told MSNBC that Obama's decision to ask Congress to delay a vote was "a wise call" because "I think the reality is the votes just weren't there."

"After this impassioned plea, I cannot imagine (President) Obama not launching military strike if diplomacy fails, regardless of what Congress does," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., tweeted after the speech.

Obama acknowledged in his meeting with Republicans the political perils of seeking force against Syria, noting that polls showed Americans are against the attack and probably weren't going to change with a single televised address, said Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill.

"He said, 'I'm good, but I'm not that good,'" Kirk said. "I took that as a good dose of political reality. The politics on this is upside-down."